At the suggestion of Chief Rabbi of Palestine, Abraham Isaac Kook, Elyashiv married Sheina Chaya (d. June 19, 1994), a daughter of Rabbi Aryeh Levin.[4] The couple had five sons and seven daughters. Six of their daughters married significant rabbinic figures. One son died of illness as a child, and one daughter was killed in 1948 by Jordanian shelling.[4]

In February 2012 the 101-year-old rabbi, was admitted into the cardiac intensive care unit of the Jesselson Heart Center at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center under the supervision of cardiology branch head Dan Tzivoni and his personal physician. He was admitted due to an acute condition of edema of the lungs and congestion in the heart. He died on July 18, 2012,[5][6] and was buried on Har HaMenuchot after a late-night funeral procession that attracted an estimated 250,000 people.[7][8]

At the time of his death, he had nearly 1,000 descendants.[9] In 2009 he saw the beginning of a sixth generation, as a grandson was born to one of his great-grandchildren.[5]

Elyashiv was the spiritual leader of the Degel HaTorah party which has representatives in the Knesset (Israel's parliament). He held great influence over the policies of the party, currently part of the umbrella United Torah Judaism list in the Knesset. Degel HaTorah abided by all his rulings and instructions. In 1989, upon the establishment of the religious political party Degel HaTorah, Elazar Shach asked Elyashiv to join in the public leadership, and Elyashiv acceded to his request. He came to the major public gatherings of Degel HaTorah and shared in the task of rendering decisions.[10] Most rosh yeshivas ("yeshiva deans") associated with the Agudath Israel of America movement frequently sought out his opinions and followed his advice and guidelines concerning a wide array of policy and communal issues affecting the welfare of Orthodox Judaism. Eliashiv held no official title, neither as head of a congregation, yeshiva, or particular community.[1]

The Halakhic rulings and sermonic insights of Eliashiv have been recorded in several books. The 4 volume Kovetz Teshuvos contains responsa resulting from questions asked of him over many years. Many of his ethical and sermonic comments on the Torah, most dating from the 1950s, were collected and published as Divrei Aggadah.[1] A Haggadah for Pesach including Eliashiv's comments and Halachic rulings was recently printed. Another work that includes his Halakhic rulings is titled "Yashiv Moshe." His Talmudic insights were printed in the 18 volume series of Haoros and more recently Shiurei Maran Hagrish Eliashiv on Tractate Berachot and the following books: "pniney tefila"' "pniney chanuka" and "pniney nisuin" was published. These works were not written by Eliashiv, but compiled by his relatives and students.